Immigration executive orders spells concern for Trenton’s immigrant community
In 1992, when he was just 13 years old, Warldor Sarnoe fled the Liberian Civil War and immigrated to the United States, leaving behind family, friends, and his hometown for the sake of his education and survival. Although Sarnoe was able to find sanctuary in Trenton, those seeking immigration assistance in 2025 will have a harder time under the current Trump administration than in previous years.
Sarnoe says, “Our experiences in the war were one of being displaced, in terms of leaving our homes when the rebels came and took over, and it was all an experience of death, starvation, hunger, disease, malnutrition, diarrhea. I mean you talking about social shock, seeing people getting killed, or disappointing setbacks in terms of not being able to go to school and just total devastation…so the psychological effect was very detrimental…”
While in the U.S., Sarnoe studied at Mercer County Community College and Seton Hall University and works in IT management at Trenton’s City Hall. His story is one of many immigrants who came to the U.S. seeking better opportunities and safety.
President Donald Trump began his second-term with a barrage of policy actions aimed at the deportation of 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.
These policies include redefining birthright citizenship under the 14th amendment, throwing out policies limiting immigration enforcement at sensitive locations such as schools or churches, and creating Homeland Security task forces in all 50 states directed at ‘“ending the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations…”’.
Similarly, refugees like Sarnoe are no longer able to utilize resources like CBP One, a mobile application that many migrants use to access a variety of services provided by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Since Trump’s inauguration on January 20, ICE has been conducting operations in New Jersey towns including Newark, Paterson, and Asbury Park, according to news and social media reports.
According to a Planet Princeton article, the Albert M. “Bo” Robinson Treatment Center has been sought out by federal immigration officials to be turned into an immigration detention center. This plan has since been rejected by Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).
Additionally, the Laken Riley Act, a bill that won bipartisan support in the House and the Senate and the first to be signed by the Trump administration, requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain any unauthorized immigrant arrested for non-violent crimes such as theft or shoplifting.
However, many of these actions have already been met with legal and public scrutiny, like NJ Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, leading 18 states challenging Trump’s birthright executive order, saying it is a violation of the U.S. Constitution.
Likewise, NJ ACLU Staff Attorney Molly Linhorst explains the concerning effects Trump’s orders could have on immigrant communities, saying “in turn, [these policies] cause a lot of fear, pushing people into the shadows who are already here, and that harms our immigrant communities. It also harms all of us, if we have people who are unable to engage in society… eroding due process rights for our non citizens and in effect, they’re ultimately also going to erode due process rights for people who have lawful immigration status, [negating] a lot of the values the United States.”
This growing fear and anxiety highlights the importance of organizations like the Latin American Legal Defense And Education Fund (LALDEF), who promote immigrant rights and offer resources to connect them to the community. Executive Director Cecilia Jiménez-Weeast of the LALDEF says, “We are helping the people and families in our neighborhoods and beyond while respecting their confidentiality, their individual situations, and their private spaces,” she continues, “Local law enforcement officers, healthcare providers and other frontline professionals have respected our assistance for more than two decades, and they are counting on us now. We are working with our partners to prevent panic, and to keep people focused on their pathways to citizenship.”
While local organizations and law firms gear up for the frontlines of the legal battles ahead, many are looking toward their city’s political leaders to stand up for the already vulnerable community. Trenton Mayor W Reed Gusciora says “…we have a strong history of being a Sanctuary City, a status that was officially declared by the Trenton City Council in 2005, and we continue to honor that commitment.
He continues, “Together with the City Council and community organizations, we remain committed to providing support and ensuring that all who call Trenton home feel safe, valued, and heard.”
As the mayor reassures the city’s commitment to public support and trust, an ICE representative assured that their agency will continue operations within legal bounds and enforce policies with minimal disruption.
“ICE enforcement focuses on arresting and removing public safety and national security threats from our communities. The delegated immigration enforcement authority to federal law enforcement partners has greatly assisted ICE to locate, arrest and remove the most egregious criminal aliens. While ICE does not target schools, courts, or churches for operations, it is no longer prohibited from these locations if the situation warrants – in fact, it was one of the few federal law enforcement agencies previously operating with those restrictions,” says Cuttita.
From a different perspective, the threat of ostracization in society and stereotyping under the Trump administration’s new orders prevent some immigrants from truly feeling safe in the eyes of the law, regardless of immigration status.
Sarnoe says, “[The majority] of immigrants in this country are law-abiding citizens, peaceful people…people who contribute to the US economy…So to take that away, I think it will also be a net loss for the United States economy, and I think people shouldn’t politicize [it]. I think people should look at a more of a human rights [issue] because people are fleeing on genocide, hunger, devastation, and persecution from their government. So to send them back, and I think that is so inhumane… America was built by immigrants.”
For immigrants seeking legal assistance, community support, or reliable information, several organizations offer vital resources to help navigate challenges and protect their rights. Here are some key websites and services available, given by Attorney Linhorst:
ACLU Know Your Rights Page – English
ACLU Know Your Rights Page – Spanish
NJ Alliance for Immigrant Justice
